CHICAGO – Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu has been named American League Outstanding Player by his peers in the 2020 Players Choice Awards. Abreu, 33, joins Frank Thomas (1993-94) and Jermaine Dye (2006) as the only White Sox players to win the award.

Abreu hit .317/.370/.617 (76-240) with 15 doubles, 19 home runs, 60 RBI. 148 total bases, 34 extra-base hits and 21 multihit efforts in 60 games this season, his seventh with the White Sox. He is looking to join Thomas (1993-94), Dick Allen (1972) and Nellie Fox (1959) as the only Sox players to win AL Most Valuable Player honors.

“It is always special to be recognized by my fellow players across the league.” said Abreu. “I want to thank everyone who voted for me and appreciates my respect for the game. But as I have said, my ultimate goal remains to help win a championship for the Chicago White Sox. That would be my greatest accomplishment and one that would make my family the proudest.”

Abreu led the AL in hits, RBI, slugging percentage, total bases and extra-base hits, tied for the lead in multihit efforts and WAR and ranked second in home runs. He was the only player to rank in the Top 5 of the following categories in the AL: hits, RBI, slugging percentage, extra-base hits, total bases, home runs, average (4th) and OPS (5th, .987). Abreu, who led the league in RBI in 2019, became the first player to lead the AL in RBI in consecutive seasons since Boston’s David Ortiz in 2005-06.

Abreu became just the fourth player in major-league history to lead the AL in hits and RBI, joining Jim Rice (1979), Carl Yastrzemski (1967) and Lou Gehrig (1931). He also is the first qualifying player to record as many RBI as games played in a season since the Cubs' Sammy Sosa (160) and Cleveland's Juan González (140) in 2001. Abreu helped lead the White Sox to their first postseason appearance since 2008, going 4-14 (.286) with a double, home run and two RBI in three games of the AL Wild Card Series at Oakland.

Abreu, who last week was chosen as The Sporting News Major League Baseball Player of the Year, also is a finalist for the 2020 Hank Aaron Award, given to the outstanding offensive performer during the regular season in each league.

The BBWAA Most Valuable Players will be announced on November 12.